Israel is pressing ahead with its relentless aerial and ground assaults on the besieged Gaza Strip, pushing the death toll to 309 in just 12 days.

The Palestinian Health Ministry says more than 70 of the victims have been children.

Israeli warplanes pounded a number of positions in Gaza during the early hours of Saturday. The fresh airstrikes killed more than ten people.

More than 2,200 others have been injured since the offensive began on July 8.

Palestinian officials say as many as 65 people lost their lives since Israeli tanks began shelling the impoverished enclave on Thursday, when the Tel Aviv regime launched its ground operation in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Israel has threatened to step up its military operations in the coming days.

The United Nations says the number of displaced people of Gaza has almost doubled over the past 24 hours. More than 40,000 Palestinians are now homeless.

Meanwhile, Palestinian fighters have fired several Grad missiles into the Israeli cities in retaliation for the deadly attacks.